Slytherin, Secrets, and Other Distractions
by AdriDark
Summary: A new student arrives at Hogwarts with a lively personality and possibly a few secrets.  As Neville Longbottom begins to fall for her, he finds himself tangled in a web of mystery and danger.  NevilleOC love story with a dark mystery.
1. New Girl

"_Gryffindor and Slytherin students loathed each other on principle."_

_- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince_

Serene stood on Platform 9 ¾ with a contemplative expression on her face. The gentle breeze brushed some of her dark brown hair out of her face. With a smile, she put her locks back into a large clip. It was a new year and a new beginning at a new school. Though quite unheard of, Serene had been transferred from Bradbury's School for Young Witches to Hogwarts after her third year. It had been hard to leave behind everything familiar to her, but at the same time, she was looking forward to the change.

Having not yet received a school uniform, Serene was wearing a green sweater over a tie-dye tank top and a blue, flowing skirt. Her right hand clutched a suitcase, while her left rested on her hip. She clutched her wand in her teeth and a grey and white kitten sat loyally at her feet. She was quite a sight and she wasn't completely oblivious to it. She liked the attention.

As the train rolled into the station, Serene could barely contain her excitement. Hurrying for the nearest doors, she roughly made her way through the crowd. With a new bruise on her arm and a contented smile on her face, she clambered onto the train.

"Now for the difficult part," she muttered to herself. Picking a compartment to sit in was a complicated problem with a lot of unknown variables. Not everyone was as completely black and white as they appeared. Some could appear cold and distant when they were really just shy and needed some coaxing to come out of their shell. Others could appear to be quite friendly but quickly turn others away with horribly annoying traits. In the end, it was always a gamble.

Finally, the decision was made for her. As she took a step to turn around, a large 7th year knocked into her and she tumbled into a rather crowded compartment. Cursing profusely, she stood up in quite a huff. She turned to face three very confused wizards and a witch with an irritated expression on her face.

Grinning, Serene straightened her robe and picked up her bag and wand, where they had fallen on the compartment floor. "Quite sorry, friends. I'm afraid I can be a bit clumsy. I mean, I guess it comes from my mother. Jesus, does that woman have two left feet. My dad used to joke that she tripped and I just popped right out. At least, I think he was kidding. You don't think someone can actually be born like that, right?" She laughed as her cat darted between her legs and settled into the lap of one of the boys. "Dumb bloke. That cat would sit in the lap of You-Know-Who if he was the only one in the room. Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Serene McCarthy and that fluff ball in your lap is Oscar."

The other occupants of the compartment seemed at a loss. This strange witch had literally tumbled into their compartment, talked to them like they were old friends, and _then_ introduced herself. If anything, this girl sure made one hell of a first impression.

A boy with black hair and glasses, whose lap was occupied by Serene's cat, finally responded. "Well, my name's Harry, Serene. Nice to meet you." He pointed to the redheaded boy beside him. "That's Ron." Ron offered a friendly hello but he was still giving Serene an odd look. "And that-," he pointed to the girl sitting beside Ron. "is Hermione." Hermione offered a curt welcome that lacked genuine friendliness. Serene could tell that she was still unhappy with Serene's colorful demeanor and loud entrance.

"And my name's Neville." The boy who sat across from the other three held out his hand in greeting. Serene gave it a strange look and slapped it, resulting in an awkward, side-ways high five.

Without an invitation, Serene plopped herself down onto the seat, next to Neville, with an extra flourish. "So, I see you're all in Gryffindor."

Hermione leaned forward, surveying Serene for any signs of what House she was in. "Yes, we are. How about you?" After a few moments of looking Serene up and down, she gave up trying to figure it out, herself.

Serene sighed. "Actually, I haven't been sorted yet." A lock of hair fell out of her clip and she absentmindedly twirled it between her fingers. "I just got transferred from Bradbury's School for Young Witches." As she said this, Harry thought he noticed something flicker across her features but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "I know. It's weird. I don't quite understand it myself, but they all assure me it's for the best."

Harry was tempted to ask who "they" were.

For the rest of the trip, the compartment was alive and thriving. Although Serene tended to monopolize the conversation, the others grew to accept her and actually like her a bit. As the train finally came to a stop, Serene was the first to bound happily out of the compartment. As the others watched her disappearing figure, Hermione sighed. "I must say, there's nothing _serene_ about her."

* * *

As Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville settled into their seats at the Gryffindor table, Ron elbowed Harry and pointed toward Neville. He was craning his neck to see around his fellow classmates, gazing toward the front of the room. They both exchanged knowing smiles. They had seen the way Neville had looked at Serene on the train. No doubt he was anxious to see where she was going to be sorted.

Hermione, on the other hand, was oblivious, for probably the first time in her life. "Neville, what on _earth_ are you doing?"

"Well, isn't it _obvious_, Hermione?" Ron grinned at Neville. "He's looking for Serene, of course." At this, he and Harry both chuckled.

Neville, having turned the color of a ripe tomato, turned to face the other two boys with indignation. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Harry and Ron laughed once more and Hermione rolled her eyes at their immaturity. "Look, the Sorting Ceremony is beginning! Be quiet, you two." She shot a reproachful look at Harry and Ron.

As every year before, the students in the Great Hall watched first year after first year get sorted. After Melissa Lancaster got sorted into Ravenclaw, Professor McGonagall called Serene's name. With a solemn expression that Harry believed to be added for dramatic effect, Serene walked to the stool, where Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head.

"Ah yes!" The loud voice of the Sorting Hat boomed through the entire Great Hall. "Serene McCarthy. Oh, I've heard of you but I never expected to see you within these four walls. You're going to be a difficult girl to place." He paused for a moment, as if to think. "I see in you a great contradiction. You wish to belong but you constantly set yourself apart with your mistrustful attitude and, shall we say, interesting quirks."

Harry wondered if he meant more than Serene's odd personality.

"I fear that your fate is to feel torn between the need for acceptance and the freedom of original thought." The Hat seemed to smile at this, pleased that he had pegged Serene for what she was. But suddenly, the smile disappeared. "Oh, this….this is interesting. This certainly changes things." He thought for another few moments. "SLYTHERIN!"

The whole room cheered, as was the custom when a new student had been sorted into House. The only ones not joining in the jubilation were Ron, Harry, Hermione and Neville. They all cast curious glances at each other, searching for an answer. They had spent the entire train ride to Hogwarts with Serene. Not once had they seen anything in her that might set her in with the Slytherins.

Serene's face also told a story. Unlike most after their Sorting, she hopped off of the stool, completely expressionless. This time, she was unable to hide what she was thinking behind elaborate theatrics. She silently walked to the Slytherin table and took a seat beside a blonde second year.

When Hermione dared to glance at Neville, his face had gone from crimson to white. His expression was one of confusion, mixed with utter disappointment. He cast his eyes downward and didn't look up for the rest of Sorting Ceremony. Finally, as Katherine Zimmerman was sorted into Gryffindor, the Sorting ended and Dumbledore stood up. As he spoke about a special TriWizard Tournament, Harry glanced over to see Neville staring intently at the Slytherin table. Even as the Headmaster warned all the students to be on their best behavior for the guest, Neville seemed distracted. Finally, as the feast began, the friends began to discuss their new companion.

"What in the bloody hell was that all about? Ron didn't have to be specific. They all knew what he was talking about. "Did the Sorting Hat just tell everyone in the Great Hall what he thought about a student? I've never seen the Hat act so strangely before. And that really is saying something."

Hermione nodded in agreement. "It was really odd. What did he mean by 'I never expected to see you within these four walls.'?" She stole a glance at the Slytherin table. Serene was already smiling again, taking a sip of pumpkin juice. She couldn't help but notice, however, that her eyes kept flitting over to the Gryffindor table.

Neville finally spoke, after a moment of thoughtful silence. "Why is she in Slytherin at all? She doesn't really seem like a Slytherin. I thought she was kind of…" He let the sentence hang in the air. Everyone nodded, knowingly.

Finally, Hermione cleared her throat to offer her final word on the matter. "Well, if she's kindhearted, it shouldn't matter _what_ house she's in." At this, she picked up her goblet and took a sip of her pumpkin juice.

For the rest of the feast, the friends talked and laughed, temporarily forgetting their new friend. In fact, they didn't say a word about her until they left the Great Hall to make their way to the common room. Right outside the door, Serene was laughing with a third year girl from Hufflepuff. Finally, she bid farewell to the girl and turned to see the four friends leaving the Great Hall.

Instantly, Serene's face began to glow and she waved at them with great enthusiasm. "Oh, hello! Hi!" She darted towards them, still waving, her wand held loosely in her right hand. Suddenly, she tripped and her wand flew out of her hand, making a loud bang and creating colorful sparks. Snatching up the fallen article, she cursed and dusted off her robes. Suddenly, she seemed to remember that her friends were waiting for her as she made eye contact with them.

"Hi, Serene." Harry glanced over Serene's shoulder. "Making new friends, I see. Who was that?" He thought she seemed familiar. He had probably passed her a hundred times in the halls but, for the life of him, he couldn't seem to put a name with her face.

Serene glanced back. "Oh, crap. I think it was…Mindy? Melissa? Mackenzie! That was it! Mackenzie!" A smile spread across her face. "She seems really nice. I think she's from Hufflepuff." With a happy sigh, she twirled her wand between her fingers. "So, bummer I didn't get sorted into Gryffindor with all of you. But I'm sure Slytherin is a nice house, too."

Awkward silence followed as Neville, Harry, Ron and Hermione all looked each other. No one wanted to tell her the truth about the House of Slytherin and its members. They all exchanged looks, as if silently arguing with each other. Watching all of this, Serene seemed almost amused. She let her periwinkle blue eyes dart from one to the other and so on, her lip curled in a bit of a smirk.

Finally, Hermione turned away from the others to face Serene. "Slytherin is a quite acceptable Sorting. It's a house of ambition and cunning. Slytherins are also usually very resourceful and –,"

"Oh, just stop it, Hermione!" Ron, having cringed at every word Hermione had said, interrupted. "Sure, Slytherins are ambitious. They all crave power. Some may be cunning but only half as much as the Ravenclaws. And they sure are resourceful, but only in the sense that they're completely manipulative. I'm sorry, Serene but the truth is that there isn't a dark wizard or witch who hasn't come out of Slytherin. They're all bullies and ruddy gits." Realizing that his face had become red with passion, Ron stopped and took a deep breath. He bit his lip and cast a sheepish look in the direction of Hermione who was now glaring at him.

Serene looked taken aback, at first. But it didn't take long for her to recover her smile. "Well, thank you for being honest, Ronald, but I think I'm going to change the face of Slytherin." Her smile became a proud grin and she flipped her hair over her shoulder, dramatically. "So, where are you guys off to? Mind if I come?"

"No, we don't mind at all." Neville had been the first to speak up before anyone else could tell her that they were actually planning on spending some time in the Gryffindor common room.

Harry fought off a grin. "Yes, you can join us. Actually, Neville was just about to tell us where we were headed. Where to, chum?" He turned to Neville, ignoring an exasperated glare from Hermione.

"Well, I was thinking that we could – I mean it seemed – Maybe we could - ," Neville's face was starting to gradually turn redder. Serene, however, stared unflinchingly at him, apparently unaware of his discomfort.

"What on earth do you think you're doing with _them_?" A sharp and accusatory voice rang out in the hallway, making the group jump. Draco Malfoy suddenly appeared to claim the shout, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson close at his heels.

Serene turned and welcomed her unfriendly classmate with a glowing smile. "I don't know. They seem like pretty nice people. Why? Is there a reason I _shouldn't _be talking to them?" Her smile still seemed genuine but the others noticed a dark gleam in her eyes.

"Slytherins do not associate themselves with other houses. Especially not _Gryffindor_." He said the word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "Pureblooded Slytherins such as ourselves wouldn't _dare _be seen with lesser wizards." He paused and cast a judgmental look in Hermione's direction. "Or witches."

"You must be Slytherin's finest - Draco Malfoy." Serene's expression was completely unreadable now and the others frowned at each other, confused. She took a step closer towards Draco and slowly fiddled with his collar.

Draco nodded pompously to the grinning Crabbe and Goyle and the scowling Pansy Parkinson. He smirked as he casually tucked a lock of Serene's black hair behind her ear. "I see my reputation precedes me."

Serene giggled flirtatiously. "Well, of course." Her blue eyes looked up at him, piercing and inviting. "Pureblood." She placed a hand on his chest and bit her lip. "A great wizard from a reputable family." She sighed. "But alas, a spineless punk with an arrogant disposition and who's always seen with a group of thugs who can fight his battles for him because he is incapable of doing so. Yes, I've heard all about you." She suddenly pulled back with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"You inflammatory little-," Unable to come up with a desirable insult, Draco screwed up his face into a scowl and lowered his voice to a hiss. "You'll regret your untamed tongue, Serene. You just wait." With a dramatic flourish, he spun around on his heel and walked away, Crabbe and Goyle closely following.

Pansy Parkinson, however, lingered a bit longer. "You have a bloody cheek! You _will_ be sorry. Draco is quite clever."

"He could've fooled me." It was amazing how Serene could stay cool as a cucumber. Especially as Pansy squealed in contempt and slapped her hard across the face.

"Blood traitor!" Glaring furiously at Harry, Hermione, and Neville she turned around and hurried to catch up with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle.

As Serene watched the retreating figures of her newfound adversaries, Neville exhaled loudly. From the looks of it, he had been holding his breath for almost the entire confrontation. "You're not going to be very popular in Slytherin."

((So, the first chapter isn't that long but it's really just a starting point, right?? Tell me how you feel about it, my loves!))


	2. Blood Traitor

**When we last left off, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville had just met the new girl, Serene. Thought quirky and funny, Serene also seems to have a few secrets. She seems to have a crush on Neville as well. Read on faithful reader(s) to find out what happens next!**

* * *

"Well, if that's an example of the members of the Slytherin house, I don't think I want to be." Serene smiled confidently at her new friends before taking a moment to chew on her lip, uncertain. "But – um, what is a blood traitor? I know we weren't allowed to say it back at Bradbury's but what exactly does it mean?"

Hermione glanced at Ron, Neville, and Harry before answering. "A blood traitor is a pureblood wizard or witch who associates with muggleborns."

Serene seemed to be thinking about this for a moment before finally meeting the eyes of her companions. "You mean, like Ron?" She didn't seem to have expected the reaction she received. Yelping, Serene jumped away as Ron lunged at her.

"Shut up! Shut up! Where do you get off saying something like that?" Harry and Neville had jumped in front of Ron and were now holding him back. As he struggled against them, his face grew increasingly redder. "Get off me. I'll kill her!"

"That's exactly what we're afraid of, mate," Neville muttered as he took an elbow to the jaw. "You need to relax, Ron. I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it."

Utterly horrified, Serene looked from face to face, searching for some kind of explanation. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

Hermione cleared her throat and took a quick glance at Ron before addressing Serene. "Well, 'blood traitor' isn't a very kind title to give someone. You should really be careful with using that phrase."

Serene's faced flushed. "But I didn't! It was something I heard at my table, today. I heard a few of the Slytherins saying 'those blood traitor Weasleys.' Isn't that Ron's last name?" She looked at Hermione, sincerely baffled.

"Serene, Slytherins aren't very fond of Ron's family because of their many ties to muggleborns. They were insulting him when they said those things." Hermione truly felt bad for Serene and her blunder and it showed as she patiently explained.

"Oh, Ron! I'm so sorry! Can you ever forgive me?" Breaking through Harry and Neville, Serene threw her arms around Ron's neck and locked him in a tight embrace. "I didn't mean to insult you or your family. I wasn't aware that the Slytherins were being offensive."

It was Ron's turn to be startled. As he struggled not to choke on Serene's long brown hair, he spluttered out an answer. "Forget about it. I overreacted." As Serene pulled away, he seemed relieved and disappointed at the same time. "I just – I don't like people insulting my family."

There was a moment of silence before Serene spoke again. "It wouldn't be a good idea to tell my fellow Slytherins that I'm a muggleborn, would it?" Sadness seemed to creep into her eyes, just barely, as she waited for an answer.

All of Serene's companions exchanged looks, sharing on thought. _A muggleborn in Slytherin?_ Neville was the first to speak up. "In Slytherin – no. I don't think it's a good idea to talk about that." When he saw the hurt in her eyes, he quickly added, "But it doesn't really matter what you are. Hermione is a muggleborn and she's at the top of our class. Plus, she's got plenty more friends than most Slytherins can boast of having." He shrugged. "I think you're worth twenty Slytherins."

Neville blushed as soon as his last comment left his lips. Serene's smile suddenly grew a little shier as she noticed this.

"So, um, maybe I can show you around now," Neville offered, deliberately excluding Ron, Harry, and Hermione. "If you want me to, I mean."

Serene, seeming to have forgotten her previous distress, nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes! I'd love that!"

* * *

The more time Neville spent with Serene, the less he understood her. Every time they reached a new site, Serene would make a huge scene, attracting everyone's attention as she loudly oohed and aahed. Finally, as they both neared the Herbology greenhouses, Neville held a finger to her lips.

"If you're too loud around some of these plants…they won't be very happy with you." He motioned to a few of the polka dotted squashed to their right before realizing it probably wasn't the best example.

Serene, however, seemed mystified. "You mean, they can actually get upset and such?" She bent down to examine a few flowers, being especially careful not to disturb their leaves too much. "Fascinating."

Neville bent down next to her. "Actually, those are, um, carnations. But yes, some of these plants do get upset. A few will even scream. And man, do some of these plants have pipes." He chuckled as he carefully plucked a carnation from the ground and offered it to Serene.

"Cool." Serene whispered as she took the flower from Neville. "Weird…but still cool." She looked up at him and gave him a soft, casual smile. "You're really into this stuff, aren't you?"

"How did you know that?" Neville stared at her for a moment and his heart skipped a beat as he noticed she was staring back, chewing on her lip shyly.

Silence fell between the two as they both tried to figure out what to say next. The topic of plants somehow seemed to dim now, they're eyes both sparkling with the others' reflection.

"I – um – it was the way you talked about it. A person's tone of voice can reveal a lot about what they're thinking, you know." Serene suddenly returned to the safe topic, not really sure where the other one was leading.

Neville nodded, afraid to speak in case _his_ tone of voice would reveal what he was thinking. Just the thought of that brought heat to his face. "Yeah. Yeah, I like Herbology. It's really the only class in school that I really, um, excel in." He blushed. "I don't really do very well in school," he admitted.

Serene nodded, solemnly. For a moment, it seemed as though she was going to say something important. But the moment passed as she opened her mouth and burst out laughing. The laughter shook her frame as she collapsed in the dirt, getting leaves and dust in her hair.

"W-what is it?" Neville felt like he'd missed something.

"I-it's just – you – I mean," Tears were rolling down her face as continued to laugh. "I d-don't do well in school either. I -," Another peel of laughter ensued and Serene tried her hardest to regain composure. Finally, after a few moments of fitful laughter, she sat up and managed to explain. "I just find it funny, I guess. At Bradbury's, everyone talked about how great Hogwarts was and how they wished they had been chosen for that prestigious school instead. And here I am, with horrendous grades, attending Hogwarts."

Though Serene had explained, Neville still felt lost. He was about to ask for clarification, when he realized that it wouldn't really do anything. Serene was speaking her own language that made sense only to her. Try as he might, he'd never fully understand what went on in her mind. And he didn't have to. That's what was so beautiful about her.

As Serene climbed to her feet, Neville brushed some of the dirt off of his pants and stood up as well. A good two hours had passed from when they'd left the main building of Hogwarts and it was getting late.

As the two headed back to the castle, Neville shuffled a little closer to Serene and deliberately brushed his hand against hers, ever so lightly. His heart sped up a little but he swallowed down the growing lump of fear in his throat and slowly slipped his hand into Serene's.

* * *

**And now, you're all going 'awww', right? It was kinda cute, I admit. I know this chapter was kinda shorter than the last but I'm trying to crank them out a little faster now that they're actually out there, so people don't lose interest. Feel free to review!**


	3. Allies and Potions

The next morning, Serene woke early and greeted the sun with a sleepy smile. The events of the day before were clear in her mind as she sat up in bed and wiggled her toes out in front of her. Though such a change had made Serene anxious, her new Gryffindor friends had helped to ease her nerves. They'd taken her in and called her their friend. It was nice.

Someone mumbled in their sleep and rolled over, putting Serene ill at ease. She hated to admit it but her roommates rather frightened her. Every time she entered a room of Slytherin girls, she was met with cutting glares and icy silence. News of her confrontation with Malfoy and friendship with Gryffindors had obviously spread.

Serene quickly and quietly changed into her school uniform before tiptoeing out of the room to have some alone time in the Slytherin common room. It was still an hour before most students would be awake but the thought was comforting to Serene. Though she adored being the center of attention, she hadn't really liked some of the suspicious glances she'd caught in the hallways. She just wanted some time to sort out her thoughts alone.

The common room was so quiet when it was abandoned. Serene walked over to an overstuffed chair by the mantle and sat down. With a quick flick of her wand, she produced a hearty fire from the bare logs and sighed. The warm glow of the flames felt so good against her skin.

Silence and warmth enveloped Serene as she watched the flames dance along the logs. This was a perfect moment of peace. The eye of the storm.

"Early riser, are we?"

Serene shuddered. She could hear the smirk in Draco's voice even before she turned around. "Leave me alone, Draco."

"What's the matter?" Draco stuck out his lower lip in a mock pout as he stepped into view. "I thought you enjoyed the attention you've been receiving. You sure made a show out of telling me off." Flopping into the chair across from Serene, he raised an eyebrow at her.

Anger boiled up inside of her. "I told you off because you're a foul, loathsome, little cockroach, Malfoy." Standing up, Serene moved toward the portrait hole but Draco stood up and blocked her path. "Get out of my way, Malfoy," she demanded.

Draco remained firm. "Look," he hissed, grabbing Serene by the shoulder. "You're not a very popular girl right now, Serene. You need an ally. I'm still willing to help you out but you need to start paying attention to the culture around here." His grip tightened as if to punctuate his point.

Wrenching free, Serene paused only to glare long and hard at Draco. "I know who my allies are," she called, exiting the common room through the portrait hole. Before she left, she turned around. "And they're in Gryffindor."

Neville stared glumly at the floor as he entered Potions class. He had always been especially pathetic in this class. Every day, he dreaded entering the dark dungeon and facing Snape, the intimidating Potions' master. Counting every hesitant step he took, Neville finally made his way to his regular seat and sat down.

Before long, Seamus appeared and slipped into the seat to Neville's right. "Be warned, Longbottom. I hear Snape is in a particularly foul mood today. A first year tripped and knocked another girl with her. The potions they were carrying mixed and the dungeons stunk for hours!" His face was pale as he shifted his book to the edge of the desk.

_What a perfect start to a new year, _Neville thought to himself, mournfully. Potions class was bad enough when Snap was in a _good _mood. When his temper was hot, all of his students suffered.

At that moment, Serene entered the dungeon in a flurry of animation, her face flushed with anger and indignation. Spotting the empty seat to Neville's left, she plopped down beside him, slamming her book down hard on the table. Neville intended to ask her what was wrong but stopped short when Snape appeared in a similar fashion as Serene.

Walking swiftly to the front of the class, Snape swept his beady gaze over the room. He seemed to sneer a little when he came to Neville but Neville couldn't be sure. "Today, we'll be making a drought of reminiscence. Does anyone know what a draught of reminiscence does?"

Hermione was the first one to have her hand in the air. In fact, Neville noticed, she was the _only _one with her hand up in the air. Snape, however, deliberately ignored her with an annoyed expression on his face.

"Anyone else know?" He muttered to the class.

Neville shrunk back, avoiding Snape's stare at all costs. It was common knowledge that Snape loathed Neville and commonly bullied him in Potions, which also happened to be his worst subject. But, as it were, Snape seemed to have found a new victim.

"Well, how about you, then, Serene?" Snape's lips curled into a cruel smile as he stared at her. "Any idea what it does?"

Serene looked panic-stricken as she shot a pleading look at Neville. She wasn't aware that she might as well have asked a brick wall for help. Finally, she looked back up front with what seemed to be a look of feigned calm. "Um, does it make someone long for the past, Professor?"

Seamus nodded at Neville, indicating that he believed it to be a good guess but Neville could tell by the look on Hermione's face that Serene had guessed wrong. He winced and Serene turned pink.

Snape paused long enough to give Serene a look of severe distaste before he went on to explain what Draught of Reminiscence truly was. "This is a highly unusual potion. Many careless witches and wizards slip it to each other to discover each other's secrets, which can be a foolish act.'" Shaking his head in disdain, he continued. "This potion allows you to enter the memory of another. It's rather rare most likely because people find intruding upon another's private thoughts and memories…unnerving." He added another dramatic pause before pointing his wand at the blackboard. "The directions are on the board. You may work in groups of three if you wish." He directed everyone's attention to his desk. "When you're done, send a member of the group over to get a flask for the potion."

As the class bustled to claim groups and get together their supplies, Serene turned to Neville. Seeming to have forgotten what had upset her earlier, she sighed in a dreamy way that reminded him of the school loon, Luna Lovegood. "What a romantic idea, strolling through someone's memories."

Though he wasn't going to contradict Serene, Neville quite disagreed. After all, hadn't Snape used the term _intrude_? He just wanted to finish the potion with minimal damage and turn it in.

"So," Serene continued, seemingly undeterred by the fact no one had responded, "How about we work as a team?" Her eyes darted from Neville to Seamus and back again, a smile still on her face.

Again, Neville swallowed down his doubts as he exchanged a glance with Seamus. It was common knowledge that both boys were lousy in Potions and, judging by her earlier comment about poor grades, Neville guessed Serene wasn't very talented in that area either. However, neither found it a good idea to mention this so they all began working on the potion.

"So, Serene." Seamus knew very little about Serene, except what Neville had told him, so he was beginning to grow curious. "How is Hogwarts different from Bradbury's?"

Serene thought a moment, while she added a newt tail to the bubbling cauldron in front of her. "Well, for starters, we didn't have houses. My headmaster said it created competition and prejudices between students." She shrugged. "Personally, I think I agree."

Neville noticed Seamus giving Serene an indignant look and broke in. "Well, I guess I can see the pros and cons. Sure, it occasionally sparks competition and a bit of prejudice among houses but it also is away that people define themselves."

Pausing, Serene shook her head. "Why would I want to _define_ myself? I know who I am." She pointed to a cabinet on the opposite end of the room. "We need lizard tongues. Can someone go get them?"

Exchanging a look with Seamus, Neville made a disgusted face. Behind Serene's back, they played a quick game of "rock, paper, scissors." Seamus lost and reluctantly made his way to the cabinet.

"Serene? What were you upset about before class?" Neville tried. Her face was no longer flushed in anger but he could tell she was trying hard to distract herself from something.

Apparently, she wasn't going to make it that easy for him. She smiled and waved her hand, as though dismissing his concern. "Oh, nothing. The Slytherin Welcome Committee put tangerines in my fruit basket." She told him, sarcastically. "I absolutely detest citrus."

Neville opened his mouth to say something more but Seamus was already returning with a jar of lizard tongues, a look of utter disgust on his face. "Here. How many should I add to the potion?"

Serene stared into the cauldron for a moment, continuing to stir it, slowly. "Um, I believe it says half the amount of the Mandrake roots subtracted from the amount of newt tails. I think that's about…six?" She unscrewed the lid of the jar and began dumping in the lizard tongues."

At that moment, Draco nonchalantly passed by the team and roughly knocked into Serene. Her hand slipped and the entire jar of lizard tongues fell into the potion, which began to change color and steam.

Seamus, Neville, and Serene watched in horror as the potion began to rise in the cauldron. They all knew that it wasn't a good sign. Students at other stations turned to watch the hideous metamorphosis of the Draught of Remiscence.

Snape, who had noticed the scene, strode quickly to the team's cauldron. "What have you done? You've doubled the amount of lizard tongues, making it much too potent." His glare landed on Neville. "_Your_ mistake, I'm sure."

Just as Snape pulled his wand out to empty the cauldron, disaster struck. The potion - which had just turned a ghastly shade of puce - exploded, splashing everyone surrounding the cauldron. Snape had gotten particularly soaked and was now glaring at Neville, Seamus, and Serene. "I don't think I need to tell you three how dreadful your grade is going to look after this."

Neville nodded along with Seamus and Serene but his mind was elsewhere. For, as the potion had exploded, he'd gotten a mouthful of it, and her could've sworn he'd heard screams inside his head, and snatches of a conversation concerning Serene.

"_We can't keep her here! She's a danger to the other students!"_


	4. Finding Solace

Serene frowned out at the lake as she rested her chin on her knees. After shooting an angry look in Draco's direction, she'd exited the dungeons quickly, making a beeline out of the castle and to the lake.

Leaning against a tree, Serene stared out at the glassy surface of the lake. She remembered her first night, arriving at Hogwarts. Separating from her newly found friends, she'd boarded a boat along with a few first years and set out across the waters. As she looked at it now, Serene could remember, vividly, how the light of the lanterns had reflected against the water.

When Serene had received her owl from Bradbury's, she'd been thrilled. Her parents had always assured her that she was a special child but she'd taken their comments as the praise of doting parents. At school, she'd been labeled as "weird" by the other students and her self-esteem had taken a swan dive before her acceptance to Bradbury's.

During her first year at Bradbury's, Serene had immediately become one of the most popular witches of her year. There, her eccentricities that had made her an outcast in the muggle world were admired. Everywhere she went, she was surrounded by eager classmates, clamoring to be her friend. Even the boys seemed to be fond of Serene.

Now, however, she found herself in the same place she'd been during her days in muggle school. Hufflepuffs feared her; the Slytherins despised her because of her ties to the Gryffindors, and the Ravenclaws seemed utterly unimpressed with her theatrics. Even her Gryffindor friends were limited to Neville and Harry, since neither Seamus nor Ron seemed much taken with her.

As Serene sat and sulked, she became completely oblivious to her surroundings. For what seemed like an hour, she sat by the lake, letting her anger and frustration drift away as she focused on the crystal clear water. Even as Neville approached, she was unaware of his presence and continued to stare straight ahead.

Nervously, Neville made his way toward Serene, working out in his mind what to say to her. Ever since he'd been doused with that potion, just thinking of Serene made him feel uneasy. He was unsure of who'd called Serene a danger but the voice of the other person in the disembodied conversation was very familiar. It had been Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore had known of Serene before she came to Hogwarts?

Shaking his head, he sat down next to Serene and tried to put all the doubt out of his mind. Nothing about Serene had ever struck him as dangerous. And besides, the voice could have meant anything. Perhaps Serene had acted carelessly at her previous school. Maybe it had been another disaster in Potions class and nothing more.

"Serene, I'm sorry about Potions class. Draco's always been a foul little git." Neville was surprised at his own boldness. To his face, Neville would never have dared Draco anything like that. But here, with Serene, it seemed like something he should say.

Serene didn't answer for a moment and Neville studied her face. She didn't look upset, as he had expected to find her, but a thoughtful look was plastered across her face. She seemed a thousand miles away and he almost didn't want to wipe away that peaceful expression. She had seemed so troubled and upset ever since that morning when she'd arrived at class but now… He regarded her for a moment, waiting for her to answer him. But she didn't.

"Serene?" He prodded her shoulder, again waiting for a response and this time, she turned to him, acknowledging he was there but she still didn't answer. "I know you're frustrated but just hold in there. Hogwarts is a great place. You just have to…find your niche, you know?"

Finally, Serene nodded. "Yeah. I guess." It was a short reply but Neville was still relieved to hear it.

"Serene, I was wondering…I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'd understand if you didn't. It could be an awkward question. Then again, I mean, it could just be a simple answer and you wouldn't have to worry about it." He stopped, realizing that he was babbling. Serene was staring at him with a playful but quizzical look on her face. In light of his nervous embarrassment, she had returned somewhat to her normal self.

"Neville, just ask. You're going to choke on your tongue stumbling over your words like that." Her blonde hair fell in her eyes and Neville was suddenly overcome with the desire to reach out and push it behind her ear.

Resisting the urge, he swallowed and continued. "It's just – I'm wondering why you left Bradbury's. It just seems odd. No one has ever transferred from Hogwarts. At least, not to my knowledge." He caught her eye and blushed. It was a simple question but he still felt like he was prying.

Serene shrugged, trying to feign a casual attitude. "I'm not sure, really. The whole thing was kept kind of hush-hush, you know? All I know is that the headmaster wanted me gone and Dumbledore offered me a new place to continue my education." The answer seemed to make sense the expression that flickered across Serene's face made it clear that she wasn't being completely honest.

Neville considered pushing the matter until he realized he knew the expression that had crossed her face. It was one of great sadness. Whatever was in Serene's past, Neville considered unlocking it to be the equivalent of opening Pandora's Box. Instead, he just sat there in silence with her.

Moments passed before it happened. Coming as a complete surprise to Neville, Serene suddenly leaned against his shoulder. She seemed so tired. It had been mere days since her start at Hogwarts and she was already exhausted. Still, he couldn't help but enjoy having her leaning against him that way.

"Serene?"

Her eyes were closed and she didn't look up. "Hm?"

Swallowing down the nervous lump in his throat, he lifted a hand to touch Serene's hair. It looked so soft in the sunlight. Like spun gold. It was a cliché metaphor but the only one that seemed to fit. Finally, Serene turned her head.

To this day, Neville can't be sure where he acquired the courage. Maybe, though, it had nothing to do with courage. In that instant, it seemed like everything had simply rushed out of his head. There was nothing else in that one moment but how beautiful Serene looked. And so he kissed her.

It wasn't a very deep or romantic kiss. Just a soft and simple kiss on the lips. However, Neville was finally becoming acquainted with the metaphorical fireworks everyone spoke of. When he pulled away from Serene, they were both smiling.

A girl had never looked at him like that before. Her eyes sparkled with bashfulness. That was an expression he never thought he'd see on Serene's face. To him, she had always seemed fierce and self-assured. But now, she just seemed like a teenage girl with a crush on a boy.

He was that boy.

The thought hit him hard and he had to take a moment and think about it. In all of his time at Hogwarts he had never been the object of any girl's crush. At least, not to his knowledge.

Suddenly, Serene let out a pleasant, almost lyrical laugh. "Why, Neville you're blushing!"

It was true. The moment he thought about Serene possibly having a crush on him, his face had flushed a deep shade of red. It was then that he realized why he liked Serene so much. She was confident. And not because she was particularly talented, but because she liked who she was. The confidence that radiated from her with every step she took was intimidating but captivating. He had never had much confidence in himself and never seen much reason for being self-assured.

Suddenly, Neville felt a chilly breeze cut through his robes and he shivered. "Maybe it's time we headed back to the castle, Serene. It seems Autumn is trying to make way for Winter early this year." He stood and held his hand out for Serene, to help her up.

Reluctantly, Serene took his hand and left the familiarity of the lake. As she walked beside Neville, still lost in thought, she leaned into him, grateful for the warmth and security his presence provided for her.

In the shadows, a stranger watched, burning with terrible fury. _Everything I did for her and it will all be ruined!_


End file.
